Folding decoration



April 2, 1957 J. L. WOOLVEN FOLDING DECORATION Filed May 8, 1953 H FOLDING DECORATION John L. Woolven, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Application May s, 1953, Serial No. 353,828

4 Claims. (CI. 41-11) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in decorations, particularly decorations which are eminently suitable for use on Christmas trees and for decorating stores and the like during the festive season, an object of my invention being to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is readily erected and collapsed as desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which, when in the collapsed condition, can be packed in a relatively small space.

Another object of my invention in conjunction with the foregoing object is to provide a device of the character herewithin described whereby the decorative features thereof are protected from damage during transit and storage.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which, when erected, is fully enclosed, giving the appearance of a solid structure, yet being of relatively light weight, thereby making it particularly desirable for Christmas tree and store decorative purposes.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which can be erected by the actuation of a single draw string.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view of my device in the fully assembled or erected condition.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of my device in the open position.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the components of my device prior to folding.

Figure 4 is a bottom end view of one of the components in the partially assembled position.

Figure 5 is a vertical section through two adjacently connected components.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

This invention constitutes an improvement over my U. S. Patent No. 2,644,260 and makes for a more economical decoration as well as for a decoration which is considerably stronger than the previous one and which, furthermore, can be erected more easily.

Proceeding now to describe my invention in detail, it will be seen upon reference to the accompanying drawings that it consists of a plurality of hollow pyramidal components 1 which may be manufactured from a blank as illustrated in Figure 3 and folded as illustrated in Figure 4, thus providing a double thickness on one side 2 2,787,073 Patented Apr. 2,1957

which assists in the strengthening of the device when in the assembled position.

,Each pyramid component therefore has a hollow triangular base 3 terminating in arcuately curved flaps 4. to permit adjacent components to be connected together, as will hereinafter be described.

When the components are assembled and viewed from the bottom thereof in the opened position, as illustrated in Figure 2, it will be seen that the decoration consists of a central row 5 of components 1, together with flanking rows 6 one upon each side of the aforementioned central row 5.

The central row of components are placed in alternate nesting relationship, and secured together by adjacent sides 7 of the bases 3 thereof by staples 8 or similar means as illustrated in Figure 5.

The flanking rows 6 comprise a series of components secured by the inner sides 9 of the bases thereof to the outer sides 10 of the components of the central row 5, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

Draw string means 11 operate in a similar manner to the draw string described in application Serial No. 113,962 to erect the decoration so that it takes the form illustrated in Figure 1, under which circumstances the bases 3 of the components define and enclose a sub stantially complete polyhedron.

In this embodiment, a pair of draw strings 12 are anchored by one end 13 thereof to the outer apex 14 of the base 3 of one end component 15 of each of the flanking rows 6. The draw strings then pass through apertures formed in the outer apices of the bases 3 of the remainder of the flanking row components, whereupon they pass inwardly towards a tab 16 provided upon the outer side 17 of the end component 18 of the central row opposite to the anchored ends of the draw strings, said draw strings passing through apertures within this tab and then spanning the bases 3 of the central component to pass through apertures provided in the outer side 19 of the end component of the central row nearest the an chored ends of the draw strings, said draw strings unit-- Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparentlywidely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A decoration comprising in combination a plurality of components, said components having hollow triangular bases when viewed in plan, flaps formed integrally and extending from each side of said bases, said decoration, when in the opened position, being seen to comprise a central row of components and a flanking row of components on either side thereof, each central row and each flanking row comprising a plurality of components in alternate nesting relationship, said components of said central row being connected together by adjacent flaps of the sides of said bases thereof, the components of said flanking row being secured by the flaps of the inner side of said bases thereof, to the flaps on the outer sides of the said bases of said components of said central row, and draw-string means co-operating with said components to erect and maintain said decoration so that the bases thereof define and enclose a substantially complete polyhedron.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which said draw string means consist of a pair of draw strings each of 3 4 V which is anchored by one end thereof by the outer apex 4. The device according to claim 2 in which said flaps of the base of one and component of each of said fiankare arcuately curved; ing rows, said draw strings being threaded consecutively 7 through apertures in the outer apices of the bases of the References Cited in the file of this patent remainder of the components of said flanking rows, 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS through the outer side of the end component of said semi-a1 mw dpp'os'it'et o 'tl r'e anchoredends of said draw 2 gf strings and spinning the bases of said central compoo0 ven 7:77,. uy

nehts to terminate together externally of the outer side OTHER REFERENCES i t b of the PP end Component of Said cw Dennison Crzift" cb'ur'se', Book 4; page 40 (upper left tra' row;

v t hand corner-stee" 1e for church A riI 1'9'29, Dnhison 3. The device accordm'g to claim 1 111 WhlCh said Mfg CO Framiggham, M p 

